“Uma said, O illustrious one, among all beings thou art the foremost in puissance.  In merit, in energy, in fame, and in prosperity, thou yieldest to none, and thou art, indeed, superior to all.  In consequence, however, of this disability in respect of a share (in the Sacrificial offerings) I am filled with great grief, O sinless one, and a tremor overtakes me from head to foot.’

“Bhishma continued, ’The goddess (Parvati), having said these words unto her divine spouse, the Lord of all creatures, O monarch, remained silent, her heart burning the while in grief.  Then Mahadeva, understanding what was in her heart and what her thoughts were (for wiping off that disgrace), addressed Nandi, saying, ’Wait here (by the goddess).  Summoning all his Yoga force, that Lord of all lords of Yoga, that god of gods, that wielder of Pinaka, possessed of mighty energy, quickly proceeded to the place (where Daksha was sacrificing) accompanied by all his terrible followers and destroyed that Sacrifice.  Amongst these followers of his, some uttered loud cries, and some laughed terribly, and some, O king, extinguished the (Sacrificial) fires with blood; and some, possessed of awful faces, pulling up the sacrificial stakes, began to whirl them.  Others began to devour those that were ministering to the Sacrifice.  Then that sacrifice, thus afflicted on every side, assumed the form of a deer and sought to fly away through the skies.  Ascertaining that the Sacrifice was running away in that form, the puissant Mahadeva began to pursue him with bow and arrow.  In consequence of the wrath that then filled the heart of that foremost of all gods, possessed of immeasurable energy, a dreadful drop of sweat appeared on his forehead.  When that drop of sweat fell down on the earth, there forthwith appeared a blazing fire resembling the (all-destructive) conflagration that appears at the end of a Yuga.  From that fire issued a dreadful being, O monarch, of very short stature, possessed of blood-red eyes and a green beard.  His body was covered entirely with hair like a hawk’s or an owl’s and his hair stood erect.  Of dreadful aspect, his complexion was dark and his attire blood-red.  Like a fire burning a heap of dry grass or straw, that Being of great energy quickly consumed the embodied form of Sacrifice.  Having accomplished that feat, he then rushed towards the deities and the Rishis that had assembled there.  The deities, filled with fear, fled in all directions.  In consequence of that Being’s tread, the earth, O monarch began to tremble.[1401] Exclamations of Oh and Alas arose throughout the universe.  Marking this, the puissant Grandsire, showing himself unto Mahadeva, addressed him in the following words.’